Control
by Animangod
Summary: Young Kurogane during his time at Shirasagi Castle (with Control by Halsey playing in the background).


He was still adjusting and learning about palace life. He was still adjusting to the idea someone would bring him food, to sometimes the Princess would be in there when he woke up or would come by and try and surprise him. She had yet to surprise him since the first night when she stopped him.

As Tomoyo was the one who first took him under their care, it wasn't long before he developed a growing loyalty to her and protectiveness over her that he swore his allegiance to her and only her. It wasn't long after he could walk about freely that Souma became his primary teacher. The Queen wasn't immune either from teaching him things including keeping him on his toes, just like the other warriors. He studied during the day, from things like geography to calligraphy, from war tactics and techniques to flower arrangement, from politics and niceties to poetry. Some things he entertained better than others.

At night, a restless listless energy filled him. The floors creaked and shadows clung at the wall like webs as he paced lethargically through the halls. He may not have a weapon yet, as Tomoyo was getting him a new one, but that didn't matter.

The warriors that had not seen the fight, the warriors that had not witnessed the way he could effortlessly bring down their numbers could not yet fathom how terrifying the young lord was. Without a blade, he seemed more like a scared child, looking over his shoulder as if he expected a demon to appear out of nowhere.

But for those who had seen, most became nervous around him at night when he was the most on edge. Seasoned warriors jumped as he turned towards them, as though determining if they were a threat. He may be a child, but he was regarded as a hunter on the prowl. Few treated him the same way regardless. Tomoyo, Kendappa and Souma were among the few.

Hushed voices lingered near doorways. Several would rather look for the man who murdered the priestess of Suwa than be close to the boy that lived through that night.

Kurogane was not immune to noting the differences, and it further pushed him along the path he would have never imagined going down before that one night.

There came the first time he killed humans and realized it. There was anger, so strong, that he didn't remember ever moving. He didn't remember screaming, or fighting or even killing them. When he could see again, there was life left behind him but the lives in front of him- spies thst had come for Tomoyo - had been snuffed out with no mercy. His sword was out and covered in blood. The one who dared approach was Souma.

"Kurogane…" she sounded like a worried parent, "are you alright?"

Kurogane turned towards his teacher. "I'm..fine. I need to go clean my blade."

He walked away, his expression hollow. As though the fiery rage that had taken over had drained him emotionally and there was just unfeeling and apathy left.

Hearing the news from Souma, Tomoyo frowned a little, saddened to hear the report.

She had hoped he wouldn't travel down that path, because it was the one someone else wanted for him. But perhaps of his headstrong nature, it would have been inevitable and useless to try and change the path.

Slowly it got worse instead of better. He eventually no longer went into fiery rages and became blind during his own actions. He killed the spies as easily as he back talked, as easily as he insulted nobles, as easily as he drank. Instead of losing his consciousness to white rage, he was losing his conscience, throwing it away with every life he took.

"Can't you control your servant?" a noble complained as he heard yet another tongue lashing from the warrior.

Tomoyo tittered behind a sleeve, "what makes you think I control him?"

She could never control him; she could only calm or contain him. Souma always worried over him and chastised his coarse speaking. And Kendappa would actually take him serious in a duel, being the only one who could fight him as an equal. He wouldn't change his ways unless he wanted to change.

Tomoyo knew that Kurogane would always end up doing exactly as he wanted, and not even being his boss would change that. But she had a dream that told her just what he would say to know when he needed to leave to better himself. She had a dream there would come a time when he returned and was injured but when he came to, he was more at ease. She dreamed he would have others there, children and an unusual creature, and the person she saw beside him, crying over him, was not anyone from their country. It wasn't anyone from that world even.

So, in the meantime, she would continue to do her best to heal his hurting heart, and when the time came, she would entrust the man that returned with him to help Kurogane heal as well.


End file.
